Alan Liefting
2005-01-21 04:17:07 UTC
The Institute of Science in Society Science Society
Sustainability http://www.i-sis.org.uk
General Enquiries ***@i-sis.org.uk Website/Mailing List
press-***@i-sis.org.uk ISIS Director ***@i-sis.org.uk
========================================================
The Center for Food Safety just released a report detailing
Monsanto's lawsuits against American farmers. For a copy of
the report, click
www.centerforfoodsafety.org/Monsantovsusfarmersreport.cfm
Monsanto Assault on U.S. Farmers Detailed in New Report FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 13, 2005 Contact: Craig Culp,
(202) 547-9359, or (301) 509-0925 (mobile)
First-of-its-Kind Analysis Reveals Thousands of Monsanto
Investigations, Nearly 100 Lawsuits and Numerous
Bankruptcies
Toll-Free Hotline Established for Farmers Facing Lawsuits
or Threats from Monsanto to Get Guidance and Referrals
WASHINGTON - The Center for Food Safety released today an
extensive review of Monsanto's use and abuse of U.S. patent
law to control the usage of staple crop seeds by U.S.
farmers. The Center (CFS) launched its investigation to
determine the extent to which American farmers have been
impacted by litigation arising from the use of patented
genetically engineered crops. Monsanto vs. U.S. Farmers
details the results of this research, discusses the
ramifications for the future of farming in the U.S. and
outlines policy options for ending the persecution of
America's farmers.
"These lawsuits and settlements are nothing less than
corporate extortion of American farmers," said Andrew
Kimbrell executive Director of CFS. "Monsanto is polluting
American farms with its genetically engineered crops, not
properly informing farmers about these altered seeds, and
then profiting from its own irresponsibility and negligence
by suing innocent farmers. We are committed to stopping
this corporate persecution of our farmers in its tracks."
The report finds that, in general, Monsanto's efforts to
prosecute farmers can be divided into three stages:
investigations of farmers; out-of-court settlements; and
litigation against farmers Monsanto believes are in breach
of contract or engaged in patent infringement. CFS notes in
the report that, to date, Monsanto has filed 90 lawsuits
against American farmers in 25 states that involve 147
farmers and 39 small businesses or farm companies. Monsanto
has set aside an annual budget of $10 million dollars and a
staff of 75 devoted solely to investigating and prosecuting
farmers.
"Monsanto would like nothing more than to be the sole source
for staple crop seeds in this country and around the world,"
said Joseph Mendelson, CFS legal director. "And it will
aggressively overturn centuries-old farming practices and
drive its own clients out of business through lawsuits to
achieve this goal."
The largest recorded judgment CFS has found thus far in
favor of Monsanto as a result of a farmer lawsuit is
$3,052,800.00. Total recorded judgments granted to Monsanto
for lawsuits amount to $15,253,602.82. Farmers have paid a
mean of $412,259.54 for cases with recorded judgments. Many
farmers have to pay additional court and attorney fees and
are sometimes even forced to pay the costs Monsanto incurs
while investigating them. "Monsanto is taking advantage of
farmers with their marketing and their threats and
lawsuits," said Rodney Nelson, a North Dakota farmer sued
by Monsanto. "It's hard enough to farm as it is. You don't
need a big seed supplier trying to trip you up and chase you
down with lawyers."
Farmers even have been sued after their fields were
contaminated by pollen or seed from a previous year's crop
has sprouted, or "volunteered," in fields planted with non-
genetically engineered varieties the following year; and
when they never signed Monsanto's Technology Agreement but
still planted the patented crop seed. In all of these cases,
because of the way patent law has been applied, farmers are
technically liable. It does not appear to matter if the use
was unwitting or if a contract was never signed.
Various policy options supported by CFS include passing
local and state-wide bans or moratoriums on plantings of
genetically engineered crops; amending the Patent Act so
that genetically engineered plants will no longer be
patentable subject matter and so that seed saving is not
considered patent infringement; and legislating to prevent
farmers from being liable for patent infringement through
biological pollution.
CFS has established a toll-free hotline for farmers facing
lawsuits or threats from Monsanto to get guidance and
referrals: 1-888-FARMHLP.
========================================================
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cutting edge science, and to promoting social accountability
and ecological sustainability in science.
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========================================================
CONTACT DETAILS
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NW1 OXR
telephone: [44 1994 231623] [44 20 8452 2729] [44 20
7272 5636]
General Enquiries ***@i-sis.org.uk Website/Mailing List
press-***@i-sis.org.uk ISIS Director ***@i-sis.org.uk
MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY BE REPRODUCED FOR ANY PROFIT FREE
PURPOSES WITHOUT PERMISSION, ON CONDITION THAT IT IS
ACCREDITED ACCORDINGLY AND CONTAINS A LINK TO http://www.i-
sis.org.uk/. ANY COMMERCIAL USE MUST BE AGREED WITH ISIS
Sustainability http://www.i-sis.org.uk
General Enquiries ***@i-sis.org.uk Website/Mailing List
press-***@i-sis.org.uk ISIS Director ***@i-sis.org.uk
========================================================
The Center for Food Safety just released a report detailing
Monsanto's lawsuits against American farmers. For a copy of
the report, click
www.centerforfoodsafety.org/Monsantovsusfarmersreport.cfm
Monsanto Assault on U.S. Farmers Detailed in New Report FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 13, 2005 Contact: Craig Culp,
(202) 547-9359, or (301) 509-0925 (mobile)
First-of-its-Kind Analysis Reveals Thousands of Monsanto
Investigations, Nearly 100 Lawsuits and Numerous
Bankruptcies
Toll-Free Hotline Established for Farmers Facing Lawsuits
or Threats from Monsanto to Get Guidance and Referrals
WASHINGTON - The Center for Food Safety released today an
extensive review of Monsanto's use and abuse of U.S. patent
law to control the usage of staple crop seeds by U.S.
farmers. The Center (CFS) launched its investigation to
determine the extent to which American farmers have been
impacted by litigation arising from the use of patented
genetically engineered crops. Monsanto vs. U.S. Farmers
details the results of this research, discusses the
ramifications for the future of farming in the U.S. and
outlines policy options for ending the persecution of
America's farmers.
"These lawsuits and settlements are nothing less than
corporate extortion of American farmers," said Andrew
Kimbrell executive Director of CFS. "Monsanto is polluting
American farms with its genetically engineered crops, not
properly informing farmers about these altered seeds, and
then profiting from its own irresponsibility and negligence
by suing innocent farmers. We are committed to stopping
this corporate persecution of our farmers in its tracks."
The report finds that, in general, Monsanto's efforts to
prosecute farmers can be divided into three stages:
investigations of farmers; out-of-court settlements; and
litigation against farmers Monsanto believes are in breach
of contract or engaged in patent infringement. CFS notes in
the report that, to date, Monsanto has filed 90 lawsuits
against American farmers in 25 states that involve 147
farmers and 39 small businesses or farm companies. Monsanto
has set aside an annual budget of $10 million dollars and a
staff of 75 devoted solely to investigating and prosecuting
farmers.
"Monsanto would like nothing more than to be the sole source
for staple crop seeds in this country and around the world,"
said Joseph Mendelson, CFS legal director. "And it will
aggressively overturn centuries-old farming practices and
drive its own clients out of business through lawsuits to
achieve this goal."
The largest recorded judgment CFS has found thus far in
favor of Monsanto as a result of a farmer lawsuit is
$3,052,800.00. Total recorded judgments granted to Monsanto
for lawsuits amount to $15,253,602.82. Farmers have paid a
mean of $412,259.54 for cases with recorded judgments. Many
farmers have to pay additional court and attorney fees and
are sometimes even forced to pay the costs Monsanto incurs
while investigating them. "Monsanto is taking advantage of
farmers with their marketing and their threats and
lawsuits," said Rodney Nelson, a North Dakota farmer sued
by Monsanto. "It's hard enough to farm as it is. You don't
need a big seed supplier trying to trip you up and chase you
down with lawyers."
Farmers even have been sued after their fields were
contaminated by pollen or seed from a previous year's crop
has sprouted, or "volunteered," in fields planted with non-
genetically engineered varieties the following year; and
when they never signed Monsanto's Technology Agreement but
still planted the patented crop seed. In all of these cases,
because of the way patent law has been applied, farmers are
technically liable. It does not appear to matter if the use
was unwitting or if a contract was never signed.
Various policy options supported by CFS include passing
local and state-wide bans or moratoriums on plantings of
genetically engineered crops; amending the Patent Act so
that genetically engineered plants will no longer be
patentable subject matter and so that seed saving is not
considered patent infringement; and legislating to prevent
farmers from being liable for patent infringement through
biological pollution.
CFS has established a toll-free hotline for farmers facing
lawsuits or threats from Monsanto to get guidance and
referrals: 1-888-FARMHLP.
========================================================
If you like this original article from the Institute of
Science in Society, and would like to continue receiving
articles of this calibre, please consider making a donation
or purchase on our website
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/donations.
ISIS is an independent, not-for-profit organisation
dedicated to providing critical public information on
cutting edge science, and to promoting social accountability
and ecological sustainability in science.
If you would prefer to receive future mailings as HTML
please let us know. If you would like to be removed from our
mailing list unsubscribe at
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/mailinglist/unsubscribe.php
========================================================
CONTACT DETAILS
The Institute of Science in Society, PO Box 32097, London
NW1 OXR
telephone: [44 1994 231623] [44 20 8452 2729] [44 20
7272 5636]
General Enquiries ***@i-sis.org.uk Website/Mailing List
press-***@i-sis.org.uk ISIS Director ***@i-sis.org.uk
MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY BE REPRODUCED FOR ANY PROFIT FREE
PURPOSES WITHOUT PERMISSION, ON CONDITION THAT IT IS
ACCREDITED ACCORDINGLY AND CONTAINS A LINK TO http://www.i-
sis.org.uk/. ANY COMMERCIAL USE MUST BE AGREED WITH ISIS